Beautiful Stranger
by allblue95
Summary: Ayame had no idea who she was stealing from, and now her ignorance to the world of pirates has come back to bite her in the ass. Law/oc
1. Chapter 1

Hello folks!^^

The reason I have removed all the chapters of this story is that I am currently rewriting it. I was not entirely happy with it and wanted to make changes. I will post the new chapters as soon as I can but it's going to take a while to get it all back up. When all is rewritten I will continue where I left off.

Your Faithful Writer/

Allblue95


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1(Rewritten)

A woman with blond hair, blue streaks running through it, stood at the top of a cliff looking out at the sea. So excruciatingly beautiful but at the same time cruel and merciless. _'Just my cup o tea.' _she thought with a serene smile. The sun was setting and it looked to become a clear night. Slowly removing her shoes the woman walked closer to the edge, her posture that of a diver. As the sun kissed the sea goodnight the woman dove into the sea. Not returning to the surface for air the woman disappeared into the silent world of the sea, the only trace left of her was a pair of worn and tattered sandals.

(XX)

Ayame reached a hand and poured herself another glass of wine. A small thin man was sitting across from her, a black suitcase leaning against his chair. The bar was hustling with customers and seeing as it was in the middle of the day this was no surprise to the blond woman.

" So, how much do you want for the piece? " the mans voice was raspy, always had been since he got a knife in his throat three years ago by an angry customer. The voice belonged to Augusto Sterling, more commonly known as Fox. Fox was in the stolen goods business.

" At least one million. This is an original, in case you didn't notice." She took a sip of the crimson wine, a small smile hidden behind the glass. Fox wringed his hands nervously, looking around in a display of serious paranoia.

" You know I can't offer you that. It's way above it's value."

"Bullshit, and you know it. I'm not asking you to offer it, but that's the price you have to pay if you want a pure golden bell from Sky Island. It's your choice." A bead of sweat ran down his forehead and after another nervous look around he nodded. Ayame smiled brightly and produced a sack before him on the table, and he in return put the small suitcase beside it. His eyes widened when he looked inside and he pushed the suitcase over to Ayame. She opened it a fraction, just enough to reach inside and pull out a wad of bills. Looking them over to make sure they were authentic she closed the bag again, standing up and shaking Fox's hand.

" Always a pleasure." But before he could answer she was out the door, leaving him with the tab.

(XX)

Walking down the street with a frown resting on her lips Ayame watched the people walking in the opposite direction. Civilians, marines, pirates, they all looked the same to her. Entering The Laughing Clam Bar she walked over to the counter and sat down, a heavy sigh heaving through her body.

" Why the long face,Aya? " the woman asking was called Sandra, the owner of The Laughing Clam Bar and Ayame's best and only friend. She was very tall but extremely thin, wrinkles just barely beginning to show at the corners of her eyes.

" Nothing Sandra, just give me whiskey."

" Sure thin hun."

" Oh and Sandra, could you hold onto this bag for me? " Ayame passed the suitcase to Sandra who took it into a room in the back, locking the door tightly behind her. She then put a small glass of whiskey in front of her young friend.

" No problem. " After her drink Ayame decided to get home to clean herself up, but just as she was about to say good bye to Sandra she saw something that got her attention and she quietly slipped out the door without a word. Further down the street was a large polar bear in an orange jump suit. He was among a small group of other people dressed similarly except for one guy. He had a furry white hat on his head and was balancing a huge sword on his right shoulder. Interest peaked Ayame decided to follow them aways. For all she knew that sword could be worth millions! As she came closer she walked beside them but always at a good distance. She could now see their faces and she had to admit, they were one of the strangest group of people she'd met. The men in the jumpsuits all had scowls on their faces, but the man with the sword, who Ayame assumed to be their leader of some sorts, had a calm but strangely cold smile on his face. The kind of smile that showed people that his calm mood could flip at any second, making him very unpredictable. Too bad for him he had an expensive looking sword.

(XX)

Ayame easily picked the lock of the swordsman's door, sneaking stealthily inside without a sound. The room, which had a wonderful view of the ocean since it was practically located above it,was very quiet except for the deep, steady breathing of a man. Ayame looked around slowly in the dark room, it seemed the man wasn't staying very long in this town, he had no bags or any belongings with him save for his clothes, hat and sword. Said object was leaning against the wall next to the seemingly sleeping mans head. She sneaked closer until she finally stood over him. He looked oddly peaceful as he slept. _'Almost too peaceful.'_Something seemed off about the man and a shudder ran down Ayame's back.

She turned away from the scary man and grabbed the sword. Putting it in a water proof bag she closed it tightly and slung it over her back, tying it securely around her so it wouldn't fall off. Tying her bandana a bit harder around her head she walked towards the window. But when she came to it she found it locked. Using brute strength she tried to open it by force. However she stopped completely as a dark chuckle reached her ears. She grew pale as she turned around to find the man fully awake and sitting on the bed, his legs thrown on the side with his feet on the floor. His elbows resting on his knees his face was obscured by darkness. His chest was bare but at least he had his pants on.

" Locked windows are difficult to open, especially if you need to do it quietly. Wouldn't you agree,miss?" Ayame just stared defiantly at him and after deeming that he wasn't about to stand up turned back to the window. She would rather avoid punching through the glass, it could do serious damage and she needed her hand. Pulling out a divers knife she put it in a crevice and attempted to bend it open using she stopped when she heard steps closing in behind her, and she spun around just in time to block a hand reaching for her throat. Crouching low to the ground she attempted to sweep his legs out from beneath him but he avoided the move and threw a set of punches her way.

They broke apart and circled each other until Ayame made a break for the window. She threw herself at it, closed fists breaking the glass easily, diving gracefully into the dark depths of the ocean below. The man made a grab at her but failed. Instead of getting either her or his sword he got her necklace. He looked out the window but there was no trace of her, she had disappeared into the night. He looked at the necklace in his hand, feeling the material weakening him. Turning the light on he saw that it was made of a beautiful shade of sea stone. The blue gem stone shaped like a tear drop seemed to almost glow in the moon light. He looked out the window, the woman making no sign of returning to the surface. Trafalgar Law furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought.

_'Who are you?'_

* * *

There! The first rewritten chapter is up! ^^

If you want to know what Ayame's necklace looks like you can go to my profile and look at the avatar image.

Please review!^^

/Allblue95


	3. Chapter 3

Here you have chapter two! ^^

Extra credit goes to Akalilly for the awesome names for Law's unknown crewmembers.

REVIEW!^^

One Piece belongs to the brilliant Mr. Eiichiro Oda.

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Chapter 2 (Rewritten)

It's very quiet down in the depths. Silent and peaceful. Ayame had always found it very soothing to dive so deep that the rest of the world seemed to fade, taking her past with it. But then she would remember that fateful day when the life as she'd known it changed, forever.

(XX)

Reaching the surface after about half an hours swimming Ayame dragged herself out of the water, inhaling the cold night air. Standing up she removed the sword from her back, a triumphant grin on her face. Pulling it out of its bag she looked it over, concluding that it hadn't taken any damage from her swimming stunt. Looking around to make sure no one had seen her she headed into the forest towards her home. It had taken her a long time to build it but she was very proud of the small hut where she lived.

The hut was actually right in front of the entrance to a cave in the mountain behind it. The cave had many different passages and it was easy to get lost if you didn't know your way around. Fortunately for Ayame, she did. Deep in the mountain, in one of the most elaborate passages, she hid the treasure she had been collecting for the last two and a half years.

Entering the hut she grabbed a towel and a torch on her way to the back, opening a hidden door, the large sword in hand. After about three minutes she reached the cave, and she sat down to look over the sword more thoroughly. She set the torch in a holder to her right, the huge pile of treasures shimmering in the light. She paid them no mind, to her they were blood money.

Removing the blade from it's sheath Ayame admired the beautiful craftsmanship of it. It was truly a magnificent sword and were it not that she needed the money she would have been tempted to keep it for herself. Sadly enough she wouldn't be able to use it properly, it was too long for her. She put it away when the thought of the tall man she'd stolen it from popped into her head.

Frowning she laid the sword among the rest of the treasures and went back outside. Running a hand trough her still wet hair she decided to visit the small lake further into the forest. It was made from the fresh-water stream that came from the mountain. She needed to get the salt from her clothes and body before her skin started to dry up for real. Grabbing a fresh pair of clothes she left the small hut, the sun rising in the distance casting colorful shadows over the normally dark trees.

(XX)

Law was not having a good day. Due to the broken window he had risen with the sun and waking up to birds chirping in high notes was not his idea of a good wake up call. And the fact that his sword was stolen in the middle of the night by a woman no less did not held the situation. He felt a bit empty without his Nodachi. At least he still had his hat.

But the thief left a clue, there could not be many people out there with necklaces made out of sea stone. He was sure that if he asked around a little he would eventually find it's owner. An evil smile spread across his face at the thought. His crew, who he was currently eating breakfast with, kept their distance at the sight of it, knowing exactly what it meant. You don't steal from the captain of the Heart Pirates unscathed.

After breakfast they set out for info, their first stop being a bar named the Belching Scallywag. An odd name but it held no useful information whatsoever. Law sighed as they exited the bar and continued down the road, necklace in his right pocket. It was an odd piece indeed, especially the gem stone. He hadn't seen anything quite like it in his lifetime, and he had seen a lot of strange things.

Their next stop was the Laughing Clam Bar. This place looked slightly more inviting, and from the looks of it was quite popular considering the fact that people were already streaming in at this time of the day.

The pirates entered and Law sat down at the bar, his signature calm smile spreading across his lips. Soon a tall woman came up on the other side of the bar. She looked about middle aged and had a badge on her shirt that said 'Sandra' in large friendly letters.

" Can I help you, love? " She appeared to be the waitress.

" You might. Do you know whose necklace this is? A woman dropped it on the street the other day and I feel I should return it. " The woman's eyes grew big as she saw the beautiful piece of jewelry, a smile lighting up her entire face."

" How sweet of you. The girl's name is Ayame, but she doesn't come here very often. Usually it's in association with her work. I can give it to her when I see her. " She moved to grab the necklace but Law snatched it away, that eerie smile ever present.

" No thank you, I would rather return it myself. Do you know where I might find her? " He saw a fraction of panic flicker in her eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. Putting a finger to her chin she thought for a moment before looking him and his crew over, seeming to size them up in her head.

" Ah, she spends a lot of time at the harbor, but she lives in the woods. At the bottom of the mountain in a small hut, quite a bit from town. But I would be careful if I was you, she doesn't like unexpected visitors. Now if you'll excuse me I have customers to attend to." With a smile she left them to their business. A few seconds later they were walking towards the mountain, the crew grumbling quiet complaints. Don't get me wrong, they were pissed at the little girl that dared to steal their captains sword and all that, but walking a long time in the blaring sun was not very glamorous. But, that captain's orders were the captain's orders.

Soon they had searched the larger part around the mountain, and Law was seriously beginning to doubt the sincerity of the old woman's facts. But just as he was about to turn around and head back Demitri, who had been a bit ahead of the rest of them scouting, came running back.

" Captain! I saw a hut up ahead." Law's smile had returned and he patted Demitri on the shoulder.

" Lead the way."

Behind a few bushes and a large rock they saw the hut the woman had been talking about. It was indeed very small, but at the moment it seemed empty of life. Law furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

" Search the hut, I'm going to take a look around." With that he left Bepo in charge and followed the set of foot prints leading away from the small home. He could now hear the murmurs of a stream a bit ahead, and along with it a woman's voice. She appeared to be singing and upon coming closer he caught on the melody of Bink's Sake. A smile spreading across his lips he moved a few branches aside to come upon a strange sight. The small lake was accompanied by a minimal waterfall, and in the middle of the small oasis was his thief wearing a bikini and goggles resting on her forehead. She turned slightly away, not having noticed him, and pulled the goggles over her eyes.

Before she disappeared beneath the surface Law caught a glimpse of a scar running down her back. He couldn't see it in detail but it looked like it went almost all the way down her spine. He was no longer smiling as she completely disappeared from sight, but his eyes grew wide when she did not come up for air as he expected her to. Taking out his pocket watch he looked at it, to the water, and back to the watch again. Something was very wrong here. She had now been under for a complete time of ten minutes, soon it would be eleven. He could not say he liked the girl, but she was his only chance if he wanted to see his sword again. Should he go after her? He then shook his head slightly, what was he thinking? He couldn't even swim! All he could do now was wait. He did not have to wait long.

About two minutes later a wet mop of blond hair broke the surface of the small lake. Her hair looked odd when wet, like sand beneath the water. Standing up slowly from his seat on the ground Law studied the girl as she studied a small object in her hand. But she stopped herself as her head snapped up sharply, like she'd heard a noise. Law angled his ear in the same direction, now he could hear a few of his crew. They were bickering loudly about something. _'Not a good time!'_ Looking back at the girl he was surprised to find her completely gone except for a black piece of fabric disappearing behind a tree.

(XX)

Ayame stood stock still as she listened carefully to the not so distant voices. She put her black shorts on she hid her dirty clothes beneath a few roots and looked slowly around the tree trunk. A few meters away stood two men, idly chatting or were they perhaps bickering? No matter what they were talking about, the big problem was that she recognized them. The white overalls, the strange marks on the back. They had been with the man she stole from last night. How did they find her? How long had they been here? Had they seen her? Did they find her hut? A million questions raced through her head, her heart beat quickening. She pulled out the gun she always had with her. She also had a knife at her ankle but there would be no use for that now. Just as she was about sneak away she head them call something.

" Oi! Captain! " _'Captain? Who-?'_ the thought dropped from her mind and died as realization came to her. _'Pirates!' _She immediately left as fast as she could without being noticed, heading straight for her hut. Why didn't she think of it before? She started running. What if they found her treasure? All that she had worked for would be lost. Getting close to the hut she saw the polar bear walk out the door, but it was with empty paws. Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding she agilely sneaked closer, finally jumping in through a window, landing silently on the small carpet below it.

She looked around and, after concluding there was no more of the invading pirates she headed for the back door. But she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard foot steps enter the hut. Staring at her hand that had almost reached the handle she stood very still as the steps came closer. Now the only thing separating her from the pirate was a thin wooden door. She knew that if she moved on step he would hear her. However, her plan was shattered as the door opened and a dark chuckle that sent ice cold shivers down her spine reached her ears.

" So we meet at last, miss Ayame."

Eyes still set on the handle she tensed visibly, that chuckle still ringing in her ears. She finally turned around, dark violet meeting storm gray in a powerful stare. She stood her ground as he walked a few steps closer but stopped when a gun was pointed at his face. He raised an eyebrow, calm smile in place.

" Now,now miss Ayame, let's not do anything drastic here. You will only get yourself hurt. " She wouldn't move the gun even an inch.

" What do you want? " He chuckled again.

" I thought it would be obvious. I want what is mine. Give it to me and we will leave you alone, completely unscathed. However, if you don't I can not promise you will walk out alive, or with all your limbs still accounted for." Her eyes widened a bit. She removed the safety, her finger on the trigger slowly pressing down as she spoke calmly.

" Fuck you." The sound of the gun being fired was earsplitting at this close range, but the sound of it hitting flesh never reached her ears. Instead Ayame found herself being knocked roughly to the ground, a strong hand wrapping around her throat, the other pulling the gun out of her hands. It all happened within the split of a second and Ayame had the wind knocked out of her completely, and the hand pressing on her throat against the floor was not helping. How had he moved so quickly? The bullet had missed him completely and now he was hovering menacingly over her form, his slender but surprisingly strong fingers wrapped securely around her throat keeping her pinned and literally breathless. She scratched at his arm but soon they too were restrained.

" Now, will you give in? Or die a useless death? " Black spots were beginning to cloud her vision and she blinked in an effort to keep them at bay, failing miserably. She finally nodded stiffly and took a deep breath of air as the pressure on her throat lessened. She coughed roughly, her mouth dry. Soon her hands and neck were released so she could sit up properly. The man still sat squatted beside her, seemingly observing her, before standing up. Rubbing her sore and very tender throat Ayame stood up beside him, instantly backing up a step. Nodding towards the back door she walked towards it, grabbing her torch on the way. Opening it they began the walk to the treasures within the mountain.


	4. Message from the author

Hello,

I am taking a minute to write this message. If this video has somehow escaped your notice, watch it! Here is the link. I felt compelled to pass this along so I'm passing it along to you guys, whoever you are who's reading this. Show everyone you know if they haven't seen this video, even if you find it misleading or doubt it, everyone should at least see it and make their own interpretations. Personally I'm not too sure if this is all bullshit or actually genuine, but it's still worth watching. That's all. I DO NOT want to start a whole debate about this video,that does not interest me, I merely wanted to pass it on becuse I felt like it.

.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

As for my stories,I will update again, just be patient with me. :) I'm busy studying at the moment but soon, soon.

/Allblue95


	5. Chapter 4

God I haven't written on this story for a long time! I'm trying to remember the plot I had planned for this character and it's slowly coming back. Let me know what you think of this chapter. :)

* * *

It was damp inside the mountain, water dripping off the stone due to condensation. A river flowed underneath and through the mountain, so water inside of it was no strange thing. Ayame swallowed, the footsteps of the man walking behind her echoing just slightly. Her own bare feet barely made a sound, but even though the man had heeled boots on he was able to walk almost as quietly. _'Why the hell did I have to steal from the creepiest man on the whole damn Grand Line?'_ She tried to block out the sound of her upset heart pounding in her chest but only succeeded to stress herself more.

" So, you know my name, but I really have no idea who you are. " The man chuckled condescendingly.

" You stole from me without realizing who I was? " Ayame huffed, already annoyed by her unwelcome guest.

" Well, I guessed you to be some form of pirate but I didn't think further than that. I've never had to consider fact like that before, I don't usually leave traces. "

" Like this you mean?" Ayame turned at the prompt and saw him hold up her necklace.

" Give it here! You had no right to take that!" Apparently this was exactly the reaction her had been fishing for and the necklace disappeared into his pocket about the same time she struck out at him and he caught both her wrists, spinning her around to pin them behind her. He held her with one hand, the other reaching up to move her hair from her ear to inspect her skin behind her ears. _'What the hell?'_

" Oi! Bastard! Let go!" He pressed on her wrists in a cruel way, making her arms bend painfully and Ayame struggled to suppress a whimper of pain. She felt his breath against her neck.

" There are few things you should know about me miss. Ayame, but one of them is that I don't take kindly to being ordered around. By anyone. For your continued well being I would strongly recommend against such behaviour. " he pressed on her wrists one more time before letting her go. _'Yeah, that's gonna bruise in the morning.'_ " I will keep the necklace until what is rightfully mine is returned to me. However, I am curious as to how you can wear it without suffering from any effects, especially while under water." Ayame started walking again, her back to the sadistic pirate behind her.

" That, mr. Pirate Captain, is my secret. "

" Not for long. "

The rest of the walk was carried out in uncomfortable silence and Ayame grew more and more tense until they finally reached the small cave. The sight that met them was a light of shimmering treasures of all imaginable kinds, all rare and precious. Closest to them resting on a burgundy silk cloth was the Nodachi. Ayame picked it up and handed it over, knowing her odds were against her. She was sad to see it go, the sword was very beautiful, even if it was too long for her short frame.

" Now, will you return my necklace please? " The man looked over his sword, pulling it out to check that the blade was unharmed. He gave her a bored look, a smirk twitching on his lips, as if he considered keeping it for himself, before he finally threw it over. Ayame caught it and quickly put it on, taking a deep breath once it was back around her neck.

" Why does it matter so much? " She looked up at him, he was looking at the necklace which seemed to glow once it came into contact with her skin. Ayame pursed her lips, how much could she reveal without giving too much away?

" It is my treasure. " She had expected him to laugh but no humour could be seen on his features. He nodded thoughtfully, seemingly understanding what she meant. The blade of the Nodachi was still out and he looked at it as one might an old friend and then his eyes shifted to her. Turning the tip towards her his gaze never left her.

" Now, miss. Ayame, would you care to explain why you gather so much treasure only to hide it away in a mountain? Saving up for something?" Ayame paled.

" That is none of your business. " His eyes narrowed dangerously in warning. Ayame looked to the ground in shame, hands clenching. " But, if you absolutely necessary must know, it is for a debt I owe. "

" A debt?" She nodded. He raised his eyebrows. " Care to elaborate, miss?" She shook her head no as soon as he voice his question. Then, a gleam appeared in her eyes. A gleam that would worry weaker men and her posture straightened up a bit.

" Do you think you're fast enough, mr. Pirate Captain?"

" For what?" Ayame grinned coldly.

" To catch me before I disappear." In a flash she bolted, heading around the corner into the maze of passages, trying to reach the underground lake she knew was there. She'd be safe if she could only get there! She could see the reflection of water against the walls just a few meters up ahead!

But before she reached it she heard an ominous voice echoing around her and a blue film appeared in front of her.

" Room." The voice sounded perfectly calm, but Ayame could hear the underlying blood curdling danger in it.

" Shambles." Her stomach flipped as it suddenly felt like she'd been turned inside out for a moment and then turned back, an odd pulling sensation tickling her skin. When she opened her eyes she found herself several feet behind where she'd been a second ago. Disoriented and confused she didn't stand a chance against the lean arm that wrapped around her waist, pulling her against a broad and ominously tall chest. Only when the now sheathed Nodachi crossed her chest diagonally, almost crushing her ribs and arms as two hands drew it backwards, keeping her against the pirate captain, did she react. " Clever, but not clever enough. You're not going anywhere until you've shown me the way out, miss. Ayame. Understood?" Ayame took notice of just how tall he was as he rested his bearded chin comfortably on top of her head. She felt his breath fanning her forehead from above, his somewhat hunched frame warming her cold skin from behind. The concept of Personal Space clearly had no meaning for this man. At her lack of response the Nodachi held her tighter against him, her ribs would surely be bruised in a few hours. " Understood?" _'How is he still so bloody calm?!'_ She swallowed thickly, her hands fisting as she got the feeling that he could sense when she was about to give in.

" Yes. " She snapped at him but they both knew he had won. He released her and she stumbled forward to regain her footing. When she looked back and up at him he was smiling calmly at her.

" After you, miss. Ayame. " He gestured her forwards as a gentleman might but Ayame knew that this man was anything but a gentleman. So, she led him out of the darkness, mind scheming as to how she could get rid of him, and fast.

When they stepped out of the house Law was practically tackled to the ground by a big, orange and white – was that Bear?! Ayame blinked a few times, utterly confused before she shook her head and decided to drop it. She suddenly realized that she now had her chance to sneak off! She was about to head out when a cool voice reached her ears.

" Miss Ayame, would you care to join us for a drink? To...smooth our little disagreement over? Hm?" Her eyes found his and she quickly looked away, afraid of what she might find there. She looked at his crew instead. They didn't seem overly obnoxious, just more casual than their calm captain. Even the bear blinked it's black bead eyes at her and her left lip twitched once. She stated walking towards the town.

" You're buying, mister Captain! "


	6. Chapter 5

The Laughing Clam Bar was usually filled with guests and this day wouldn't have been an exception if not for the Heart Pirates. The crew were currently drinking themselves silly, holding a friendly banter and flirting playfully with the waitresses. Law, Bepo and Ayame were sat at a separate booth where a much calmer atmosphere dominated. Ayame had been ushered in first and was sat between Law and Bepo. _'Shitty pirate captain! How sneaky to put me in a position I can't possibly escape from.'_

Law himself was sitting very comfortably, legs crossed and his arms slung over the back of the couch, Nodachi resting safely by his side. Every now and then his hand would find it's sheath, just to feel the satisfaction over it's return. The sword was one of his dearest possessions, he would not want to loose it again. He looked at Ayame.

" Why so tense, miss? Are you that unaccustomed to pirates? " She snapped her head to him. She'd been sitting on needles ever since she was pushed into this damn booth and even though she knew the owners of the bar and she wasn't normally that nervous around pirates, the fact that the man seemed so interested in her. No no, not romantically, but in a creepy way. He looked at her as if she were some puzzle especially made for him to solve. Ayame didn't like that feeling.

" I … merely don't enjoy drinking with strangers. I still do not know who you are, even if you claim that I should. " The unspoken question lingered in the air for a moment.

" This is Bepo. " Law nodded with his head to the bear to Ayame's left. 'Bepo' nodded at Ayame, she nodded back. " Bepo this is Ayame. My name is Trafalgar Law. Sound familiar yet? " Ayame's eyes blew up wide as saucers before she had to contain the face splitting smile that threatened to break out across her face. She settled for a small smile that looked deceptively forced.

" The Surgeon of Death, THAT Trafalgar Law?! " He nodded once, intrigued by her face which seemed to be warring with itself. " I know of you by name only, but not by face. Or, until now I guess. " She fiddled with her hands for a moment, eyes down in her lap. She looked like something was about to come pouring out of her at any second. Law could barely contain a chuckle.

" Yes, miss Ayame? It is alright to be curious, I won't kill you for asking a question. " Ayame looked up at him and leaned forward in eager interest.

" Do you really perform some sort of surgery on your enemies with your devil fruit?" Law laughed heartily, the underlying glee in her voice set him off. It was just so damn funny! Here she was, this young woman who had seemed terrified of him a mere 30 minutes ago, asking him about his sadistic fighting techniques. Just when he thought he had this woman pegged down she threw him a curve ball. He loved it!

" Yes, I do. My devil fruit is called the Ope Ope no Mi, it stands for Operation Fruit. You remember the blue film that appeared in the cave right before you appeared beside me, several feet from where you'd been earlier? In the open it is in the form of a sphere, and within that sphere I control everything. I can chop your arm off if I want to and you won't loose any blood. I can move things with a mere thought and detach and reattach whatever and however I wish. Like a puzzle, only with living breathing human beings." Law's eyes had taken on an almost manic gleam the further he explained, making him look sinister in the damp light. Ayame was listening intently, positively enraptured by the description. But in truth, it also terrified her to know how close to torture or death she'd actually been. She felt both sick and absolutely alive at the same time, her heart beating at a rhythm she'd almost forgotten. Ayame was fascinated by this man.

They sat for hours discussing the abilities of Law's devil fruit, how their submarine was perfect for the life of a pirate, and Ayame told him a little of the peculiar tales of some of her more rare loot. She found herself laughing and enjoying herself, which was a rarity for her nowadays, with the odd crew and their even more enigmatic captain.

But after a few hours the rapture within Ayame ceased and harsh reality crushed her to the ground. She shouldn't be making friends! She had work to do, a debt to pay! She, Law and a man called Penguin were the only ones still somewhat sober. Even Bepo had been dragged into the crew's celebration (what they were celebrating Ayame had no idea, but judging by tidbits of their songs and conversation that she listened in to made her think they were simply happy to have alcohol and women in one and the same place for a change).

Ayame swallowed, she didn't want to leave, but she had to. The deadline for the debt was coming up and she didn't have nearly enough treasure! Not since the last 'collection' the marines had done a month back. She stood up, she felt oddly cold suddenly. She moved past Penguin while he was in the middle of a sentence and he was drunk enough to make the action very simple. He didn't even think about hindering her. She turned back to look at the crew, most of them passed out and snoring in a few booths, to Bepo who was snoring away, his head resting against Law's right thigh, his legs spread out in front of him on the floor. Then her eyes came to rest on Law himself. He looked at her, to Ayame it felt as if he looked straight through her barriers and shields. She felt exposed and wrapped her arms around herself defensively.

" Leaving so soon Ayame? " She nodded sadly.

" I have to. I can't be here anymore, I should never have come. Goodbye, Trafalgar Law." She swept out the door and slipped through the alleys, headed for the small room she rented at a hotel where she kept some supplies for the bigger jobs. She didn't see Law hurry out after her only to discover her gone.

(XXX)

" Captain, why are we still here? The Log Pose is set and everything, what are we waiting for?" Shachi adjusted his large green and red balloon-like cap to shield his eyes better from the sun. He sat opposite of Law in the Laughing Clam Bar, said captain was reading the paper, or more like flipping through it as if looking for a specific event. Shachi scratched the back of his head, thinking hard. The party at this very bar had been a week ago and their Log Pose had set three days ago, but Law still didn't seem inclined to going anywhere yet. " Ah, is it because of that girl?" Law looked at him somewhat surly, taking another sip of his strong coffee.

" Never you mind, Shachi. Don't question me. " Said man nodded, accepting his captain's orders. Five minutes went by before Law suddenly smirked. He left the now empty mug and the paper behind as he walked out. Shachi took the paper with him and went after his captain, unconsciously leaving the tab without a second thought. He read the article that had sparked Law's interest. It concerned a bank heist from six days ago, they still hadn't caught the one responsible. " She must be getting desperate." Law muttered, tattooed hand running over his precious Nodachi. Shachi frowned for a moment before he made the connection. That girl, Ayame, had stolen his captain's sword. She was probably a thief by profession so this was her work. Shachi suddenly felt sorry for the girl, she had no idea just who's interest she had tickled. When Law's interest was once piqued he was like a dog with a bone.

Ayame dumped the money on the desk, azure eyes cold and angry. The marine captain behind the desk seemed unfazed.

" Where is your supervisor?"

" Commander Tolku is unavailable at present. I am here this month in his stead. Now what is all this?" He gestured to the huge sack of money.

" I am the sister of the pirate known as Koro, the Commander had given me the chance to pay off his bounty before his execution. Today is the deadline and here is the money. Now release my big brother!" She slammed a bounty poster in front of the cocky captain and his eyes took one look before a cruel smile graced his particularly ugly features. He started chuckling, quietly at first, but it soon grew into a loud booming laughter. He slammed his hand on the desk repeatedly trying to control himself. " What is so fucking FUNNY?!" Ayame grabbed his collar dragging him to her over the desk. The man managed to contain his laughter long enough to answer in words that would forever burn in Ayame's mind.

" You stupid foolish girl! No one makes DEALS with Commander Tolku! As for that pirate, your brother was it, he was executed a week ago! Ahahahahaha!" Ayame paled, and she stood so still for a moment that she resembled a statue. When the marine captain looked up at her it seemed as if her eyes were covered with a white film, or were her eyes merely rolled into the back of her skull? He didn't have long to think about it before his skull was crushed against the cement wall, never to wake again.

An explosion shook the ground beneath the Heart Pirates' feet. Screaming could be heard as marines and civilians alike fled for their lives. The light of the explosion and fire came from Marine Center and Law's eyes furrowed. Something was wrong. He could feel it. As they came closer to the chaos they saw the entire building in burning ruins, dead marines lying scattered across the ground ,one lone figure seemingly searching for someone in what appeared to be the remains of the morgue. Law walked closer to the figure, signalling for his crew to remain behind. As he came closer he recognized the dark hair the colour of the sea. It, or rather she, finally kneeled next to a stiff corpse. She pulled the head of the man in her lap, body rocking back and forth as she hunched over the figure, fingers desperately running through frozen and lifeless hair the same colour as her own. She suddenly bared her face to the skies and Law saw her eyes which had rolled back into her skull at the sheer shock, grief and anger that flooded her senses. A hair raising, heart wrenching, blood curdling scream echoed over the island, a voice filled with despair, only one word ringing clear.

" KORO!"

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Please review! ^^


	7. Chapter 6

A short chapter, and I read up a bit on Law's crew so now I've corrected myself so that the guy with the green and red cap is called Shachi, as in the manga.

I own nothing! (Except for Ayame!)

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" She destroyed that building pretty good, eh?" Shachi stood next to his captain on deck, looking up at the smoke that still rose from what had previously been the island's marine outpost. Both Shachi and Law found the sight quite pleasing indeed.

" Yes, she was most thorough. She had good reason to be. " Shachi sighed beside him, crossing his arms over his chest.

" They always play dirty, don't they, cap?" He looked over at Law, but the taller man was wearing a passive expression, eyes far away.

" Always, Shachi. Now go check up on her, let me know if she's awake." Shachi nodded and went down below. His green cap with a red rim shadowed his eyes. He was frowning. He didn't know the exact circumstances as to why the girl had destroyed the marine base but such a reaction from someone who seemed so ….well, happy, told him it was something big. She had laughed and even sung with him and the other guys last week and Shachi liked her, she seemed to ,by some magical miracle, get along well with Law too. He scratched the back of his head in thought as he passed the threshold to the infirmary. The girl, was it Ayame?, still appeared to be passed out. She hadn't sustained any heavy injuries, a few bruises and burns, but according to Law she had passed out due to shock and intense grief.

The captain had inspected the body of the man Ayame had kneeled by, presumably called "Koro" and determined the time of death at least a week ago. Law said they were brother and sister.

Shachi shuddered. _'Her brother.'_ She'd been sleeping for two days now and the building was still smouldering. _'She must have experimented with the chemicals from the medical supply. Or just mixed them all and lit them on fire.'_ She seemed bright enough and she had certainly been angry enough to possible destroy the village too if she felt like it. But she had wilted like a leaf as soon as she found her brother, all battle rage disappearing to give way to sorrow. Shachi looked down upon her now relaxed face, a feeling of protectiveness already creeping into his bones, hoping desperately that she would recover soon.

Something was wrong. Ayame felt bright consciousness tugging at her tired mind and the dark image of Koro lying dead on the ground, face ashen and cold, blurred and Ayame woke up with a hoarse scream. Arms flailing and legs trying to untangle themselves from the blanket that covered her she almost fell to the floor had it not been prevented by a pair of thin tattooed hands. They untangled the blanket effectively and pushed her down gently but firmly. She looked around frantically, her panicked mind only registering the jars of body parts on the shelf, the table to her far right where a neat row of scalpels were put out. Where the fuck was she?!

" Miss Ayame." Eyes snapped up to the source of the smooth voice and she felt a wave of relief ripple though her. _'Trafalgar Law.'_ Her eyes searched his for about twenty seconds while everything came back to her. She had already processed chunks of it while she was unconscious but the grief still lay heavily in her eyes. But to Law's surprise she didn't cry. Not even one tear found it's way to her eye. She rested her head back down and looked at the ceiling for a moment before she closed her eyes completely. _'You know what you have to do. Even if it means binding myself to this man I will have my revenge. Koro, I love you my brother.'_

" I want revenge, Trafalar Law." She looked up at him. " Can you help me?"

Even if he showed no sign of it, the captain of the Heart Pirates was stunned to say the least. Here was a girl he had almost killed once and she was asking for his help. He knew she was strong and at least somewhat intelligent, from what he'd gathered so far, and she wasn't exactly boring. I mean, how many people on the Grand Line shares his special interest of redecorating the human anatomy? But why would she so freely expose her wishes to him? To ask for his HELP? The word felt foreign to his mind. Trafalgar Law never Helped anyone (apart from his crew but they were a different story).

" Why ask for my help? You know my character, miss Ayame, I am not a compassionate man. "

" I'm not asking for compassion."

" Then what are you asking for?" She opened her eyes and looked at him.

" If I fail to kill the man who killed my brother, if I die before I reach my goal, I wish for you to finish him off. You can do whatever you like to him so long as he dies in the end." Law looked down at her, hands in his pockets as he leaned back a bit, deep in thought.

" And what do I get in return? " the answer to this was instantaneous.

" A part human-part fishwoman crew-member." She saw Law's eyes twitch wide for a moment, she knew he could never resist such an offer, a fishman was rare outside Fishman Island, and fishWomen even more so. Yet here Ayame was, a hybrid, offering him her friendship and obedience. She would call him captain of her own free will. Just the thought of what a simple blood test might reveal made Law's mouth water. (Of course, Law had already taken a blood sample, standard procedure and all that, but still, he could take more and more blood meant more tests and more knowledge. Above all else, Law valued knowledge.)

" You would swear to follow me so freely? Are you sure that is wise miss Ayame?" But Law knew that such a question was pointless, he could see the glint of determination in the young woman's eyes. She would not give up.

" Yes. Just the fact that you are warning me tells me something of your person, Mr. Trafalgar. You are not as callous as you want people to believe. " Law simply stared at her before a lazy grin stretched across his face.

" Welcome to the Heart pirates miss. Ayame." Ayame smiled warmly at him in thanks, her mind a bit more at peace now that she knew that somehow and by someone's hand Commander Tolku was going down, and going down hard.

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Please review! :)


	8. Chapter 7

A little look at the oh so sweet friendship of Law and Ayame. They get along so well! I know it's short but at least it's entertaining! (I hope)

Please Review! :D

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" Captain?"

Two months had gone by.

" Hm?"

She had yet to call him by name ever since she left them at the bar that time.

" Why do you wear that hat?" Law chuckled at the childish question.

" I like it, that's all, miss. Ayame. "

And why did it irk him that she refused to say it?

" I see."

A choir of voices butted in abruptly,

" THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO DISCUSS SUCH THINGS! CAPTAIN! AYAME-SAN!" Their hat-clad captain and female nakama ignored their clearly upset friends.

" Also, why do you insist on calling me 'Miss'? Aren't we friends?" Ayame kicked another marine in the head while she spoke, crushing his skull.

" I was raised to be polite, miss Ayame. " Law decapitated two men, chopped the arms and legs off of five others and scrambled them.

" But you don't call the guys 'Mister'..." Ayame teased as she snapped two necks at the same time, a sickening crunch reaching her ears.

" And you never call me anything but 'Captain' since you joined up. What happened to 'Mr. Trafalgar'?" She shrugged.

" I wasn't raised to be polite but I do have a knowledge of hierarchy in groups, and I know you. I know that if I'm disrespectful to you then I'll be dead or dying faster than I can say 'Eustass "Captain" Kidd'." Law snarled at the name and skewered the marine captain in an especially vicious manner.

" You should not soil your mouth with such filthy words, miss Ayame. "

" Then stop calling me 'Miss', you stuck up stick of a man! " The crew's jaws dropped to the ground, eyes wide and clearly shocked.

" AND YOU TALK ABOUT BEING RESPECTFUL!"

The battlefield was now a mere mess of bodies, some normal and just beat up or killed and some severely mutilated, left lying on the ground trying to comprehend their current situation, twitching in the dust.

" You are my subordinate, if I am not mistaken, so I will call you whatever I wish, MISS Ayame." The woman, who was walking beside him away from the battlefield and towards the closest bar, was quiet for about a minute. Law thought she had finally given up and was just about to settle a satisfied smirk on his face when-

" Do you think Mister Eustass' hair is dyed or a natural red?" He felt his left eye twitch. " I mean, it could easily be dyed if you count in the rest of his look, what with his painted nails and lips I don't think he would hesitate to-"

" If you so much as finish that sentence miss Ayame you might finally get to experience my devil-fruit power you seem so interested in. " The threat fell on deaf ears. Ayame who had found a sore spot on the normally unruffable captain was not in the mood to give in due to a mere threat, she was having way too much fun!

" Nah, you like me and my anatomy too much. As I was saying, before I was so RUDELY interrupted, I don't think he would hesitate to dye his hair to make it blend with the rest of what he calls appearance." Law could for the first time in his life envision his patience in the form of a rope in his mind, strand after strand breaking as he bit by bit felt absolute irritation and anger creep through him, until he would slowly...just... Snap. " I mean the man is clearly obsessed with his looks! He even wears that ridiculous coat, and not to mention the abhorrently hideous pants! He-"

" Room." They were enveloped by the blue dome that Ayame had only once been inside before. She turned to Law but his eyes were locked on her lips, one of his fingers raised to point to the sky." Sew." Ayame's lips tingled as she felt a small thread sew her lips shut. It was over in seconds and the dome disappeared. The stitched didn't hurt but Ayame couldn't open her mouth to speak. She felt the thread with her fingertips and knew better than to attempt to remove them. She looked up at Law who looked very pleased with himself. He raised a hand, fingers trailing over the stitches and in the process the soft pink skin of her lips. What interested him was that no fear was present on her eyes, only outrage and annoyance. She stood still and let him stand there, inspecting his work. He grinned wider at what he was about to say next which he knew would infuriate the woman even more.

" I've never done that before." Her eyes widened, as Law had expected, until they looked like big saucers in her sockets, making it easy for him to inspect the violet shade of her eyes. They seemed to shift in nuance every now and then, possibly due to emotion, and the fact that he had somewhat used her as a guinea pig clearly angered her to a great extent. He put his finger flat against her lips as if to shush her.

" Now now, don't look at me like that, miss Ayame. You knew not to poke the bear and yet you did it anyway. I will remove them...in time, once you agree never to say Eustass-ya's name ever again in my presence. " Her right eyebrow arched gracefully, expressing " Are you for real?" very effectively " And once you start calling me Law or Trafalgar. You are much too formal miss Ayame. We Are nakama, are we not?" He turned his back and continued walking, leaving Ayame to catch up, her face clearly screaming "Hypocritical ass of a Captain!" Behind them Bepo hung his head.

" I'm sorry." Ayame patted his arm.

Law chuckled. Eventually, he would make her say his name, whatever dirty tricks he had to use to do it.


	9. Chapter 8

" Why don't you like it when I call you 'Miss'?

" - "

" Is it because it's too formal, is that it?"

" - "

" Also, the two wakizashi's you carry with you, the one's you have yet to let me even touch, I'm guessing they're either coated with or completely made out of sea-stone, aren't they?"

" ' twitch' "

Law grinned triumphantly.

" So, I'm right about one the last parts, but which? I'm guessing completely made out of it? "

" 'eyebrow twitch' "

" Excellent. " Law took a sip of his sake, seemingly completely unphased by the death glare currently fixed in his direction. Penguin came over to sit with them, a fresh bottle of sake in his hand, and almost fell off his chair when he saw the black stitches across her lips.

" Good god, Ayame-san!" He leaned closer to get better look only to be slapped harshly. Ayame did not like being treated like some animal in the zoo. _'Stupid devil fruit! Stupid Trafalgar Law!'_ She was silently fuming. Penguin turned to Law. " Why Cap? "

" She wouldn't stop speaking about an enemy crew, the one led by Eustass-ya." Penguin raised his eyebrows and looked back at Ayame. _'I can't even defend myself! I was only teasing him, for heaven's sake!'_ Penguin kept a straight face for a moment before he burst out laughing.

" Awahahahaha! It seems our girl has a little crush, eh Ayame? Hm? Men in make-up turn you on?" He laughed at his own joke, slamming his palm against the table while Ayame's face went from annoyed to furious in less than one red second. Strangely enough Law found he wasn't too pleased by the idea either. _'Of course you don't like it, the idea of anyone of your crew fraternising with the enemy in any way is always upsetting, regardless of sex or agenda.'_ Penguin was still laughing and Ayame looked about ready to combust from anger and Law swiftly grabbed her left arm closest to him to stop her from punching him. Ayame was too quick however and with her right hand pulled out one of the wakzashi's she had strapped on her back or hips whenever they left the ship. She never used them though, unless it was serious, and the last two months nothing serious had happened that concerned the pirates of Heart. Well, until now. Penguin found himself unable to laugh any more as the cold steel of sharpened sea prism stone was held against his neck. Ayame's eyes now resembled a sea at storm, a harsh and cruel mistress. Law grited his teeth, he could not reach out to remove the blade with his hand, if he touched it the reaction would be far different than that her necklace had had. This was a more concentrated dose, designed to hurt.

But there was no rush, it was probably healthy for Penguin to be intimidated by the young female, after all she had threatened everyone apart from him, Bepo and Law himself so far. Penguin just needed to give her a reason. She always had a reason for threatening someone, and it was rarely empty.

Her eyes were the most intense Law had seen them so far, _'she must really be angry.'_ Of course, it might have something to do with Law's previous prodding on her temper, and Penguin was just the final catalyst that made her lash out. She help the blade perfectly still for a few minutes, Penguin didn't dare move. She seemed to still be able to communicate her fury through her eyes. And then abruptly she pulled back, settling back beside Law once more whom slung an arm over her shoulders casually, chuckling. Penguin sputtered something unintelligible before leaving in a hurry, his bottle of sake left behind. Ayame took the bottle and made to drink before she let out a barely audible whine and putting it back on the table. Law laughed deep and clear laugh. Ayame looked up at him as if he had grown two heads and then shrugged, slouching even more in her seat.

" So you really don't like Eustass-ya, you were just teasing me. Is that right miss Ayame?" She glanced at him sideways. He was looking right at her, ignoring the bustling of the other bar customers and the women (barflies) who flocked around the other crew-members. She dragged her tongue over the inside of the seam before she nodded, once. Law grinned, his hand finding it's way to behind her ear. He pushed her hair out of the way and inspected the three slits that stood out slightly from her skin there. They weren't moving as they were on dry land but Law knew it was these that had made her capable of finding the treasure under the sea. His fingers ghosted over them and Ayame shuddered violently against her will. _'What the hell, Law?! The fuck?!" _ Clearly Trafalgar Law didn't know that the gills were one of the more sensitive parts of a mer-creature's body. Or rather, he hadn't known until now. He did it again to confirm the theory and Ayame tried to get to her feet while at the same time shuddering as her nerves reacted from the new stimuli. Her gills pulsated with the sensation of Law's touch and she suddenly felt very anxious as she didn't recognize the feeling. Her relationships with men had never been particularly intimate and No-one had ever toughed her there! She bit her cheek to keep from attacking the stitches to curse the gods of the underworld upon him as she left the table, Penguin's sake bottle clutched in her hand.

Fifteen minutes later Law found Ayame on the ship, sitting on the edge with her feet dangling over the side above the water, trying to pour the sake through her stitches. Law laughed quietly to himself as he sat down next to her. She slid away from him a bit to create a distance so that he would leave her still throbbing gills alone. They were sending out little sparks of electricity through her body, most leading to her midsection, heating it up. Or maybe it was just a warm evening. Yeah, she'd go with that.

Even after two months she felt she didn't know much about Law. The man was still a mystery to her, and she only had a firm grasp of some very obvious facts. He liked coffee, preferably inhumanly strong. He barely slept, Ayame didn't know why but her theory was a mix of nightmares and a dose of insomnia that came with being Law. The man had a fierce intelligence and she guessed it was bound to keep him up at night. He hated when anyone disturbed the order in his infirmary or OR. Especially the latter. Ayame shuddered at the thought of how many he had tortured in that room simply to satisfy his curiosity. _'Admit that you're curious about his findings too. You didn't spend your childhood with a dad as a surgeon for no reason, such experiences were bound to leave marks.'_ Ayame suddenly felt very sad. She hadn't thought about her father for years. He had been human, and Ayame didn't remember much from her time with him before her mother took her and her brother away. He promised he would write but she never got any letters. She remembered the bitter feeling of disappointment in her gut, the feeling of abandonment feeding on her misery. _'Best not think about it, it only hurts.'_ She turned her eyes back to the surgeon currently sitting beside her. He had been studying her.

Law looked from her lips to the bottle and then to her eyes, sighing.

" Room. " His thumb and forefinger connected in a circle, Ayame felt the thread tug suddenly, and when the digits released from each other the stitches unwound themselves from her skin. She looked at him wide eyed for a moment and then moved to take a swig from the bottle. Only to find that it was in Law's left hand, the sake currently mixing with the ocean below them before the bottle followed, the liquid comfort now out of her grasp.

" What the hell, Captain?! "

" You're tired and sad, you shouldn't drink. " She looked out at the ocean and huffed. " I don't want you to speak about Eustass-ya again, the mere name gives me a headache. " She snorted.

" What do you think it gives me? The man is awful to even look upon, imagine the mental image Penguin so charmingly bestowed on me. Yuk!" Law laughed.

" Yuk indeed. " They sat in silence for a while, both lost in thought. " What was it you thought about that made you look so sad?" His voice was gentle for once. _'Should I tell him?'_ A few breadcrumbs couldn't hurt.

" I was thinking of my father. I hadn't thought of him in a while and it made me sad." She rose to her feet on the rail, pacing back and forth with excellent balance. Law watched the muscles of her legs work, she only wore shorts and a long sleeves shirt for the day.

" Why?" She smiled sadly at him.

" Because he abandoned me, and my... my brother." She stopped and looked down at her feet. The skin between them stretched a bit further than on a normal human, making her faster in the water. Law traced a tattooed finger over the skin he had not explored before, eyes betraying nothing.

" Tell me about him." Her eyes snapped to his.

" Who?"

" About Koro." Her eyes flashed with emotion and she stepped away from his fingers.

" You ask many questions, Captain. Far too many. " And with those words she dived, body elegantly poised as she disappeared to a place where Law could never follow, leaving him to the silence of the empty ship.

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Please review!


	10. Chapter 9

Phew, long chapter today! I'm proud yet disappointed in myself. Writing about Law and Ayame when I should be studying, Shame on me! But it couldn't be helped. I expect reviews people!

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Law had a headache. And not the kind that would disappear by taking a nap and a pain pill, oh no, it was a full fledged migraine! He had barely been sleeping the past two weeks and it was getting to him. He growled at the thought and then winced. Everything hurt damnit! He hated admitting defeat of any kind and bowing for something so simple as a headache was disgraceful by his code. His eyes tried to return to the book on blood coagulation in cold temperatures ha had been trying to read the last half hour, with little to no success as his concentration continued to fail him again and again. And yet he could not sleep! He sighed and put the book away, leaning his elbows on his desk that was littered with papers and put his head in his hands, taking deep even breaths. Thank god it was a quiet day.

" Captain! Captain!" he felt his right eye twitch dangerously. It was lucky that it was Bepo hollering his title and not someone lower down the food chain or he might just have killed someone, or at least rearranged their intestines.

Bepo barged into his office/bedroom after a quiet polite knock on the boor. He took one look and a sniff at Law before tilting his head to the left.

" Are you alright captain? " Law nodded gingerly, raising his head to rest his chin on his intertwined fingers instead.

" Yes Bepo. What's wrong?"

" We're out of meat!" The poor bear looked positively horrified. Law waved a hand dismissively.

" We'll eat a vegetarian diet until we reach port. "

" But captain! We ran out of vegetables two days ago! Don't you remember?" Law furrowed his eyebrows in thought, his normally half lidded eyes slightly wider as he struggled to remember. He finally had a faint recollection of Sam, the chef, entering his office to complain. The memory was blurry and Law realized he had lost track of the days. As he was thinking Ayame entered the room on lithe bare feet.

" Oi Bepo, what's the commotion about? The guys are pretty upset but they're too busy wailing on the floor to tell me what is actually wrong. "

" We're out of food." While Bepo said this Ayame looked around the furry creature to see Law slouched at his desk. Sure, he often slouched but something about it was off. It wasn't out of chosen laziness. It more looked like his body was too exhausted to hold itself up properly. Law noticed her scrutiny and gave her a nasty glare. Ayame almost took a step back at the intensity of it. " Geez, what's the death glare for,cap? Did someone mess with your books again?" She knew for a fact that Sachi every once in a while gained permission to borrow one of Law's medical books to improve himself, but he always failed to return it to it's rightful spot on Law's shelf. It annoyed Law immensely whenever it happened, he couldn't sleep if he felt that someone had tampered with his things, especially if it was within his domain (so really the whole sub, but mostly the OR, infirmary and Law's own room.)

Law only glared harder.

" Unless you have a good reason to be in here, miss Ayame, I suggest you leave now. " She looked at him, now an expression of worry etched on her face.

" Are you sure you're okay? And when was the last time you shaved? " Bepo sniffed in the air.

" He's not, and the last time must have been five days ago." a dark shadow in the form of stubble had grown out on Law's chin in the skin free of his goatee and sideburns. Ayame's concern heightened, Law was usually quite particular about his appearance ( admittedly not as perticular as Eustass Kidd but still, he had a decent amount of vanity). Law had had enough.

" Miss Ayame, get out of this room, I will not ask you again." His voice spoke of death and Ayame backed out quickly. Bepo followed a few minutes later, closing the door behind him. They walked side by side, both thinking of a way to solve the problem.

" I'm worried about Captain. He smells weird, he always does when he can't sleep." Ayame looked up at him.

" He can't sleep? That's why he's like that? I find it hard to believe. He always has dark circles under his eyes, how often does he usually sleep?"

" Rarely, but still a few hours a week. It's rarely like this though. "

" Huh, I see. " She felt the resentment directed towards Law lessen somewhat but a lack of sleep was still not a valid excuse to be mean. "Bepo, have you seen any sea creatures lately?" He looked down at her, black beads blinking.

" Yes, several, through the windows... I've seen no female bears though." He hung his head in disappointment and Ayame patted him on the back comfortingly.

" It'll happen Bepo. And I think I have the solution to our food problem. Tell the boys to bring the ship to the surface." She ran off headed for her room.

" Shouldn't I ask Captain first?!"

" Don't bother! Let him rest, Bepo!" She disappeared around the corner and Bepo contemplated everything for a moment before deciding that she was right. Captain needed to rest.

Ayame started digging around her room, looking for the swimsuit she usually wore beneath her normal clothes whenever she planned on swimming.

" Aha! There you are, you sneak! " She held it up in front of her. It was actually more of a wetsuit, now that she thought about it. It covered her upper body and hips like a second skin, reaching halfway down her upper arms and thighs. It was navy blue and had a zipper on the side to make it easier to get into. She changed quickly and strapped her sea-stone wakizashi's to her back in a cross. Then, she headed for the deck, a grin on her face. She hadn't hunted in months!

(X)

The pirates of Heart, minus their captain, were lounging outside. Some stood by the rail, looking into the ocean where the only female of their crew had disappeared thirty minutes prior. Penguin nudged Shachi.

" Oi, do you think she's dead?" Shachi shrugged.

" Don't know..." It was very quiet and not even the sound of sea gulls broke the silence, they were too far from land. Penguin sighed and leaned over to look into the sea. After a few minutes he could see something moving, or was it his imagination? Maybe he was hallucinating due to hunger...(note that he had last eaten breakfast that morning and it was now three in the afternoon).

No, something was definitely moving down there. He poked at Shachi once more who was about to slap him before he too saw what his friend was looking at.

" What the hell is that?" Shachi said.

" I have absolutely no idea, but it looks big." A few seconds later they screamed loudly as the "big thing" came flying up through the surface right at them, flying above them only to land on the deck behind them, in front of the rest of the now terrified crew. Three seconds later a second equally large "thing" landed on top of the other one, making a nice pile. On top of the two creatures landed a smaller shape, someone human with blue hair. She was grinning from ear to ear.

" Who said we didn't have any food?!" She shouted at the crew and they cheered, pumping their fists in the air as they realized the big sea creatures were edible. But they fell quiet as soon as the door to the sub slammed open to reveal their now furious captain.

" What was that infernal sound? It echoed through the entire sub, I'll have you know."

Ayame immediately jumped down to stand beside Law, gesturing at the creatures with a hand, a hesitant smile on her face.

" A squid and a small sea-king, Captain. They're both very much edible, I assure you." She bowed her head when he looked at her, her wet hair closing over her face like curtains. He looked at her for a few seconds before he nodded at Sam.

" Cook dinner now, I think we're all hungry. And you miss Ayame," He grabbed a hold of the hair at the back of her had, keeping it bowed but fixed in place "please consult me next time before you decide to attempt seizing control and make your own decisions that concern this crew. Next time, I would be very careful if I were you, when the idea of acting without my permission comes to mind. " and with that he let go of the harsh hold he had on her hair and disappeared down into the sub once more, like a ghoul returning to it's lair. The crew cheered and started assisting Sam with chopping the beasts up. Ayame stood frozen, head still bowed while her hair hid the tears threatening to spill from her light blue eyes. She finally got herself together enough to raised her head and disappear to her room to shower. Her shaking hands would not stop their trembling despite the soothing cool water, a mixture of anger and fear cursing through her. Why could she never do the right thing?! Saying the wrong things, doing the wrong things. No wonder Law was pissed.

That evening the dining room was truly alive! The disaster had been prevented and that was a good enough reason as any for the pirates to drink and be merry.

" Thank god Ayame! I thought we were done for! " Sam hit the back of Penguin's head leaving a red bump that looked painful.

" For Roger's sake, shrimp, you were without food for less than ten hours and you think you were gonna starve! You don't even know the meaning of the word, ya idiot!" While Penguin stuffed his face with stewed octopus while simultaneously nursing the back of his head Ayame smiled weakly at Sam. The man gave her a look of knowing concern and put a plate of food in front of her.

" Eat, squirt." She smiled a bit more fully but it only faintly showed in her eyes, she was still feeling very bad about the whole thing. She looked at the food in front of her and felt her stomach churn, she really didn't feel like eating at the moment. Sam held a plate filled to the brim with food in the air,

" Who will take the Captain his food?!" Ayame took that moment to push her plate towards Penguin and scurry out of the kitchen before anyone would think to suggest she do it. Facing the brooding man in charge was the farthest thing from her wish-to-do things.

In the end it was Bepo who did it, the only one who wasn't afraid of his captain's black mood. He knocked very gently on the door. Barely audible from the inside, and a faint grumble reached his acute hearing. Law was half asleep by his desk, now leaning over one of his favourite books about the Severing of Limbs in Unhygienic Environments. Bepo pushed the book from Law's limp hands and replaced it with the food, placing the book back on it's rightful spot on in the book case.

" Thank you Bepo." Law sounded extremely tired and Bepo stood looking at him, or rather the dark circles under his eyes. He sighed before moving to leave. " Bepo." He stopped and met Law's thoughtful gaze. " How is miss Ayame?" Bepo contemplated his answer for a few seconds but decided on the same thing he always did, to tell the truth.

" I'm not sure, Captain. She looked fine when she came to eat but she didn't actually eat anything, even though Sam gave her a plate himself. She smelt of salt."

" Salt as in the sea?"

" Not exactly Captain, more subtle. " Law nodded, eyes still vacant.

" Thank you Bepo. " And the bear left his best friend for the night, feeling very unsettled about everything, including the lack of female bears in the world. He sighed wistfully and trudged off back to the galley where a plate of fish awaited him, caught by Ayame especially for him. At least there was always fish.

(XXX)

The next day the tension between Law and Ayame became even more obvious. Not that they were ever in the same room but the crew felt it, as soon as Ayame left a room Law entered just seconds after, and vice versa, never truly interacting. Law hadn't even managed to take a nap during the night, blissful sleep evading him. Ayame had barely slept either, a knot tied tight in her belly hindering her form resting until four in the morning and Bepo woke her up at nine. She grumbled angrily until a thought slapped her mind,_'Imagine how Law feels, he hasn't slept properly for weeks. You grumble over five hours. _' She shuddered, her hair roots still twinged whenever she ran a hand through them she had put her head sideways on her pillow when she went to bed.

She was sipping a cup of tea whilst sitting outside when she spotted something white on the horizon. Law hadn't ordered for them to submerge the night before so the crew decided to use that chance to get some air. They were lying about in random spots in the sun, soaking up vitamin D as they relaxed. _'Lazy sods.'_ She looked closer at the white spot, now it was closer. She squinted her eyes and shielded them from the sun with her hand to see better and dropped her mug of tea against the side of the sub, the broken pieces falling into the ocean. She quickly jumped down and sprinted for the door while shouting at the top of her lungs.

" GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASSES! MARINES SPOTTED! WHERE THE BLOODY HELL IS CAPTAIN?!" She crashed with Bepo in the galley who steadied her. " Where?"

" North north-east. They've seen us and are approaching us fast." Bepo nodded.

" Go to the navigation room and sound the alarm, I'll get Captain."

" Okay!" She did as Bepo asked and soon every man on the crew except for the navigator and the head machinist were on deck, waiting eagerly for the fight that was about to take place. Or they hoped would take place, after all Law might decide to simply submerge just to annoy the marines. It has been known to happen.

Ayame shuddered as she heard the familiar boots against the deck and everyone straightened up. She clenched her jaws to control herself, she needed to focus. She heard him stop next to her with Bepo on his other side but she didn't turn to look. She knew what he looked like.

" It seems we've got some new entertainment. No survivors men, I've no interest in experimenting today."

"PIRATE CAPTAIN TRAFALGAR LAW WITH CREW! SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY OR BE KILLED WHERE YOU STAND!" As soon as these words reached the pirates they were lost. The ships lay alongside each other within moments and the battle was a fact. Ayame licked her lips, getting into her usual fighting stance. The marines looked to be standard ranks, no admiral no nothing. Nothing a dose of fish-man-karate couldn't handle.

The battle was a bloody one, the crew had been cooped up inside the ship for a long time and their captain was equally thirsty for blood. He seemed especially ruthless that day and after a while he even sliced a marine to pieces without the use of his devil-fruit, smirking satisfied as the bloody parts scattered in a macabre work of art. He was standing at the very front of the ship, just by the railing, when the marines decided to do a little experiment of their own.

" Bring out the new bazooka!"

" Yes sir!" Seconds later Ayame froze in the middle of a move to see a bullet almost the size of a cannonball fly towards Law. He smirked

" Room... Shambles." But it didn't work! The cannonball just kept flying and had Law been in his right mind he would have just moved out of the way by taking a step to the right. But two weeks of insomnia took it's toll and it was his reflexes that took the blow. Ayame could only stare as the bullet/cannonball? ejected a net which enveloped her captain and threw him into the ocean.

" CAPTAIN!" she ran for the edge where he'd fallen, ignoring the marine laying half-dead behind her and jumped in, Bepos faint shout of her name muffled by the water.

Closing her mouth and letting her gills take her lungs' place she swan downwards faster than she ever had before. She felt the depth getting to her, being half human made her more vulnerable to diver's sickness but getting ill was the last thing on her mind. She needed to get down, get to Law and then get up FAST! She'd live and heal but Law was vulnerable down here.

Finally she saw him. He lay at the very bottom, his Nodachi still clutched in his hand, underwater vines already ensnaring his legs. Ayame unsheathed one of her knives and inspected the net. It was as she thought: Sea-stone. Luckily for Law Ayame still had some of the strength passed on through her mother's genes and she swiftly cut through it. Resheathing the knife she wrapped her arms around his torso, shot off from the bottom and began the swim for the surface. _'Come on, come on,come on!'_ The way up felt longer than the way down and she knew she was running out of time. Finally she saw the rays of sunlight break through the water and using her last bit of strength in her legs pushed off and flew out of the water, landing on the deck on shaking legs with Law's chest held against hers. The battle was still ongoing and Ayame felt her deeply buried protective instincts kick in and she stood crouched over Law. She could see the marines spotting her and they tried to reload the bazooka. Acting without thought she took Law's Nodachi in hand. He was still holding a death grip on the sheath but Ayame pulled the blade from it, holding it with two hands. She looked feral, her upper lips pulled back in a snarl as she walked towards the marine, completely silent. He didn't hear her approach and was too late to stop the huge blade that cut his body in half, from head to groin, in one smooth chop. He fell apart, literally, and Ayame wiped the blood from her eyes. She rushed back to Law , dropping the Nodachi and shaking him.

" Come on you ass of a captain, wake up you stupid prick! " She felt for a pulse on his throat as Shachi came over to help. " He's got no pulse!"

" We need to get his heart beating again, otherwise we'll never get the water out of his lungs! We need to perform CPR." He hesitated a millisecond too long for Ayame's panicked mind and she started pumping his chest. She looked at Law's closed eyes.

" Oh sod it!" She put her lips to his and shared breath. Once. Twice. She rose and looked at him, slapping his cheek lightly. Her nerves get the better of her when he still doesn't move. "WAKE UP LAW!" And Law gasps awake, his eyes shooting open an he leans to the side, couching up water. He falls back down on his back once he's done and looks at the sky.

" ….my head hurts..." Ayame rolls her eyes and calls Bepo over.

" Bepo, carry him inside would you?"

" Right away Ayame!" Law feels his eyes drooping again and the last thing he sees before he drifts off against Bepo'd shoulder is Ayame turning her back to him to return to the fight, her mane of hair resembling the sea as the wind flows through it.

(X)

" Penguin, I don't need an IV. " Law sighed as Penguin ignored him and continued replacing the bag of IV. His crew had been fussing over him for the past two days. He'd mostly been sleeping during that time but simply the fact that a hot meal was always waiting for him when he woke up, and that they placed him in his own bed and not the infirmary, told him of their concern. It was touching really but Law really didn't need more fluids, he'd had plenty of that during his nap on the bottom of the ocean.

Speaking of which he had yet to see a glimpse of the woman who saved him. She was avoiding him and his nurse (read Bepo) hadn't let him get up from bed yet. He chuckled to himself, Bepo could get very protective when it came to Law. They had been friends ever since Law found him abandoned by his family. They had stuck together since Law was five years old and there was no one he trusted more. He yawned, suddenly feeling very tired. He looked at the time and realized it was nine in the evening. A good enough reason to sleep as any and Law needed it. He closed his eyes and lay back, relishing the feeling of falling asleep.

Ayame looked at the clock on her bedside. 00:00. She huffed and stared at the ceiling. _'Now I know how Law felt.'_ It was Ayame's turn to live without rest. Sure, she fell asleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw Law lying on deck in a pool of blood, face pale and ashen, his head in her lap. His face was sometimes that of Koro when she tried to fall back asleep after waking up in cold sweat. According to Neil, the navigator, a big marine base was just a few weeks away. _'Soon Koro, so stop haunting me, please!'_ She shuddered as she closed her eyes and only saw Law, dead. Opening her eyes she turned to her other side. _'Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go check if he's okay, then maybe I'll be able to sleep!'_ She warred with herself for at least twenty minutes before grumbling and rising from her bed. Not really planning on anyone seeing her at all she only pulled on a loose long sleeved linen shirt that hung on her like a dress and made her way to Law's room, sneaking through the shadows to avoid being seen if any of the crew were still awake. She opened his door very softly, relieved when it didn't whine or make any other unwanted noise.

She walked very carefully to his side, sitting down in the chair beside the bed and watched his face. Even in the cold light of the moon she could see the colour in his cheeks, he was neither pale nor ashen. She breathed a small sigh of relief. Ayame sat for a few minutes more before she realized what she was doing. _'Okay now you've seen him, now go sleep you silly girl! Are you really that __afraid of a little nightmare?!'_ Just as she rose Law's lips moved.

" Spying on me, miss Ayame?" She yelped and almost ran to the door if a hand had not enveloped her wrist to stop her. " Stay, please. " she tried to move back to the chair but the hand tugged her to the edge of the bed instead. She sighed and sat down.

" So you've regained some of your politeness, I see. " Law smiled at her in the darkness. His fingers still encircled her wrist loosely, the letter barely visible in the poor light.

" And you look tired, miss Ayame. Something on your mind?" She shook her head.

" No, nothing in particular. I mean, you almost dying was smoothed over long ago. No, everything's fine, but I will be very tired and grumpy in the morning if you don't let go of my wrist soon." His thumb stroked the inside of her wrist.

" Hn, I don't feel like it. It's better if you stay here, liars should be kept under strict supervision, would you not say so, miss?" He smiled a strange smile at her, something between a normal smile and a smirk that Ayame couldn't quite place. His fingers closed around her wrist and as Law scooted to the side further to the middle of the bed he dragged her with him.

" Captain?" Her voice was hesitant and she felt her tired body complying to the wishes of the hand as soon as the feeling of warmth hit her cold feet. She let him move her around, arranging her body into a comfortable position.

" Why haven't you been sleeping well, miss Ayame?" Her head was finally laid to rest on his bicep as the hand belonging to the same hand wrapped around her shoulders, pushing her so she was facing him sideways.

" Just nightmares."

" Of?" Her tired mind didn't seem very interested in lying to the calm voice, she was just so comfortable.

" People I care about dying." Law looked down at her for a moment but she had closed her eyes. He remembered her brother and then him almost dying too._ 'No wonder she's having nightmares.' _He stroked the back of her head gently. She chuckled and he suddenly remembered how he had pulled it a few days prior. She had been avoiding him because she though he was angry with her.

" I apolgize. "

" What for?"

" You know what for. " He stroked her hair agin. " I was never angry with You, I was only tired. " He felt her nod.

" I understand."

They both went quiet and just before she fell asleep Law spoke again.

" And Ayame,"

" Hm?"

" I'm not going to die."

" You better not, you ass." And then the smirking captain wrapped his other arm around the woman beside him and fell asleep, neither dreaming nightmares that night.


End file.
